Self-addressed form



Jan. 7, 1930. E. H. GARDNER SELF ADDREssED Foam Filed Aug. '25, 1925 Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PANT omer.

SELF-ADDRESSED FORM:

Application filed August 25, 1923.

This invention relates to self-addressed forms.

These improvements refer to invoice, statement, memo and like forms. At present invoice and statement forms usually have the name and address of the debtor written at the head and upon the face of the form, and for posting or delivery purposes the forms are folded and placed in addressed envelopes. 1o To avoid the double addressing it has been propose to fold the forms outwards and to use an envelope having an opening or window7 in it for the address to show through.

Alternatively, it has been proposed to pro-vide invoice or statement forms with an extension in which a window or cut away portion has been provided and adapted to register with the name and address of the addressee when the sheet is folded, said extension having a zo gummed flap or being formed with a tongue to engage in a slit in the sheet for the purpose of securing the'sheet in the folded state.

Similarly it has been proposed to provide a letter card or sheet with a transparent part 35 side by side with an address part, both being placed at one end ofthe sheet, so that by a side fold of the sheet the address is disclosed beneath the transparent part, said card being provided with gummed side wings or eX- tensions to maintain the same in the folded state. The obj ect of this invention is to attain the same ends but without the aid of extensions to the standard shape of invoice and statement forms, or special iiaps, or tongues, and to dispense with the necessity for an envelope.

Accordingly, to the present invention, invoice and statement forms or the like are made to the usual standard shape and are provided with an opening, or window, of a size and shape, such, and so positioned, that when folded, the folded parts may be interlocked without the aid of extensions and special flaps or tongues for retaining the sheets in the folded state, for postal or transit purposes, thereby dispensing with the need for envelopes.

Whilst preferring the opening or window to be arranged in the positions named, and the forlns to be folded as described, it will Serial No. 659,313.

be understood that the position and folding may vary without departing from the inventiOn, the essential feature of which is the rit may show through the opening, said opening or window being of a size, and being so positioned that when folded the folded parts may be interlocked without the aid of additional iiaps. n

The improvements may be applied to memo forms, and also to other and like stationery with which matter written upon the front i. e., innen'face of the document is required to show on the back or outer face of the document when folded.

The improvements may be applied to forms of other than the sizes and shaped before named, and in such connect-ion the fastening of the folded forni may be effected by say the postage stamp, or by an adhesive, instead of by tucking in the end parts of the folded form. In some cases there may be more than one opening.

The opening or openings may be protected by a covering of gelatine or like transparent material. Or, instead of an opening, the paper may be rendered transparent at the point where the opening should come, and the address be seen by transmitted light.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the Y following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating a tender form;

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the form shown in Fig. l, folded transversely substantially valong the middle line longitudinally of the form;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing further folding of the form shown in Fig. l and lengthwise thereof;

Fig. 4L is a perspective view of the form in finally folded condition, as viewed from the rear face thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the front of the form in finally folded position and showing the name and address of the addressee aping.

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pearing through the transparently rendered portion of the paper.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the form such as a tender, invoice, bill or the like may be printed with the usual vdesignations of the name of the addressor; the street and city address 11 of the addressor and the cable and telephone address V12, the aforesaid being ar ran ed as may be desired. Y Y Y T e space for the name and address of the addressee is indicated at 13, which may be applied by typing, printing orl long handwrit- Inthe form as illustrated in FigsLl and 2, the folding is effected along the fold 14 `eX-V tending longitudinally andsubstantially centrally of the paper of the form and for this reason the location 15 at which Vthe paper kof the form is rendered transparent is isposed oppositeto the location 13. Preferably, the transparency affording observation of the name and address Yof the addressee issecured by treating the paper of the form at the location 15 in a suitable manner to render the paper transparent wherebythe paper is maintained'intact and without any attachment ,for deriving the objects of the invention. o

The b'ody 16 of the bill, invoice, letter head yor like VVform serves to bear the communica- .tion in typewritten, printed or yother desired form. 1 f v Upon the application of the name and address of ,the addressee at 13 and 'of Vthe context of the communication at 16, the form is folded firstly along the central longitudinal lin'e of fold 14, thereuponthe paper of the form is folded or otherwise manipulated to vcondense the dimensions ofthe form and to meet postal requirements.

fis shown in'frontal view in Fig. 5 and it will be perceived that the name vand address of the addressee applied Vat the locationV 13 is observable through the transparent portion 15 of the paper of the form.

VFrom the above, it will appear that the inventionV provides Vfor the typing at a `single operation of the name and address of the addressee in the body of thecontext of the form in the customary manner of typewriting and on one side Vof the paper sheet and for affording full instructions for mailing or other delivery purposes and maintaining the body of the paper of the form intact. The invention is highly advantageous as compared with methods heretofore devised, such as windowed envelopes in that the need of the envelope is obviated and the operations of inserting and closing the yenvelope eliminat-ed. The inventionv also effects decided improvement over the useV of cutting out an opening in the paper which results in exposing free edges subject to 4tearing or ensnarling other mail matter, land materially reducing the strength of the paper.

If desired, a sticker of paper having adhesive applied on one face thereof may be employed for binding the ends of the folds of the form in lieu of tucking one fold within another or other suitable procedure followed for effecting 'closure of the missive to conform to postal regulations. I

lVhereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Y.

I claim:

A stationery packet comprising a rectangu; Y

lar integral sheet of paper having a line of fold extending longitudinallyand substantially centrally of the sheet, said sheethaving further three separate lines of folds eX- tending substantially `at right angles to said substantially central line of fold, said three separate lines Vof folds being disposed at substantially equal spacingfrom one another, one of said three Vseparate lines of foldY being disposed from one edge of said sheet a i distance substantially equal to said spacing, another of said three separate lines being disposed from the opposite edge of said sheet a distance considerablyless than lsaid spaclV ing, said sheet having an indicated space for the entry therein o'f the name and address of the addressee, said indicated space being disposed between the uppermost ltwo of said three separate lines of foldsand wholly on one side of said substantially central longitudinal line of fold, and a portion disposed between two of vsaid threeseparate lines and substantially symmetrical relative to said indicated space on the opposite side of said substantially central line offold being transparent, whereby upon said sheet being foldy ed firstly on said longitudinal central line of fold and then on said three separate lines of folds and the resulting intermediate folded portion tucked between the oppositely disposed open end portions of the sheet, all portions of the resulting packet are held against self-opening and the name and address of the addressee are visible through said transparent portion on an exposed side of the resulting packet opposite to the tucked-in side of the packet.

In testimony whereof I have signed lthis specification this 24th day of July, 1923.

ERNEST HARRY GARDNER. 

